Tank car, truck, and ship loaders pump liquids from storage tanks to vehicles.
Did you ever watch an old detective movie from the 1950s? Many of them had scenes set at the docks because that is where the bad guys often did their shady dealings. In these scenes you'd often see a crane loading boxes onto ships. Ship loaders were the people operating these cranes.
One of the first duties of loaders is to connect ground cables to carry away static electricity during unloading. Then, loaders inspect the storage tanks on vehicles to make sure they are clean. They attach hoses to these tanks and pump compressed air into the tanks holding the liquid to be moved. The air forces the liquid out of the main storage tank and into the vehicles' tanks. Loaders control the rate at which liquids are transferred. They coordinate with other workers to make sure products flow at a constant rate. To make some liquids easier to transfer, operators use blenders and heaters to blend or heat them.
Once tanks are full, loaders test them for leaks. They also take and test samples, or send samples to labs for testing. In addition, they outlet valves on tank cars, barges, or trucks. If these valves do not work correctly, loaders repair or replace defective parts. Loaders check the content, temperature, and volume of the liquid load by reading meters. They correct problems by adjusting cooling controls or reducing the amount of liquid.
Loaders have administrative tasks. They make sure the numbers on tank cars, barges, or truckloads match the instructions they receive. This ensures that products are loaded into or from the proper vehicles. They also copy information about the load and attach it to the tanks. In addition, loaders keep records of the types and amounts of products pumped. They also record gauge readings and how long it takes to load or unload vehicles.